Compositions and Comestibles

ABSTRACT

D-psicose/erythritol compositions comprise, in combination, D-psicose and erythritol as sweeteners together with one or more other edible ingredients. Comestibles are provided, including beverage products and other food products, comprising the novel D-psicose/erythritol compositions. D-psicose and erythritol may each be present in a comestible in a concentration sufficient independently of the other to perceptibly sweeten the composition. An additional sweetener component and other ingredients may be included in the formulation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to novel edible compositions and to novelcomestibles such as beverages and other foods comprising such novelcompositions. The disclosure includes, for example, diet carbonated softdrinks (“CSDs”), e.g., diet cola, non-carbonated beverages, e.g., dairybeverages and hydration beverages having added electrolytes, and grainproducts, e.g., dry cereals, snack bars, etc.

BACKGROUND

There is a need for new food and beverage formulations which canadequately meet one or a combination of objectives including nutritionalcharacteristics, flavor, shelf life, and/or other market demands. Inparticular, there is market demand for products having lower caloriecontent with good taste profiles.

The development of new formulations, for example, new formulations fordiet or other low-calorie sweetened beverages, employing alternativesweeteners, flavorants, flavor enhancing agents and the like presentschallenges in achieving a sugar-like sweetness and in addressingassociated off-tastes introduced by the alternative sweeteners, or otheringredients in the formulation. Thus, for example, development of newdiet (i.e., fewer than 5 calories per 8 oz. serving) or reduced calorieformulations for sweetened beverages, e.g., carbonated diet colabeverages with good flavor and sweetness profile, has faced obstacles.U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,191 suggests that carbonated beverages which containblends of saccharin or stevia extract with aspartame tend to be lessorganoleptically pleasing than those containing sugar. Many alternativesweeteners, in addition to providing sweetness, have been found lessthan wholly satisfactory because in man formulations they exhibitunacceptably low up front sweetness and/or lingering or otheroff-tastes.

It is an object of one aspect of the present disclosure to provide newcompositions able to contribute to acceptable taste profiles forbeverages and other foods. It is an object of other aspects to providenovel sweetened comestibles, such as beverages and other foods,including, for example, beverages and other foods sweetened at leastpartly with non-nutritive, potent sweeteners. It is an object of someembodiments of the invention (that is, not necessarily all embodimentsof the invention) to provide diet and low calorie carbonated softdrinks, e.g. diet cola beverages, and syrups for making such beverages,having desirable taste properties and lower caloric content thancomparable beverages sweetened with sugar. It is an object of at leastcertain embodiments of the invention to provide sweetened, organicand/or all-natural beverages and other sweetened food products with goodtaste profiles. These and other objects, features and advantages of theinvention or of certain embodiments of the invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art from the following disclosure and descriptionof exemplary embodiments.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect, compositions are disclosedcomprising, in combination, D-psicose and erythritol together with oneor more other edible ingredients. D-psicose and erythritol incombination have been found to provide surprising taste improvement inbeverages and other foods. In beverages and other foods sweetened withnatural, potent sweeteners, for example, such as beverages sweetenedwith rebaudioside A which typically causes an undesirable lingeringbitter taste, incorporating D-psicose and erythritol together in thebeverage is found to provide both improved upfront sweet taste andreduced (e.g., masked) lingering bitter. These taste improvements arefound to contribute synergistically to achieving an acceptable tasteprofile in beverages and other foods, e.g., diet or low-caloriebeverages and other foods. Certain embodiments of the compositions inaccordance with this first aspect of the present disclosure may bepackaged and sold in bulk for use in commercial food production. Forexample, certain embodiments comprising D-psicose and erythritol, withor without a potent sweetener ingredient, may be provided as a table topsweetener for consumers, suitable to be used in cooking or to be addedby a consumer to a beverage or other food. Such sweetener compositioncan be packaged and sold in bulk. Alternatively, in certain embodimentsthe sweetener composition is packaged in single serving packets to beopened at the time of use by the consumer. The at least one other edibleingredient of the sweetener composition, in accordance with certainembodiments, may, for example, be a sweetener component (e.g., flavorantat a concentration below, at or barely above its threshold perceptionlevel or in an amount readily perceptible to the consumer), a flowingagent, a coloring agent, and/or other suitable ingredient(s), or acombination of any two or more of them. Such compositions may bepackaged in individual serving sizes to be opened and added by theconsumer to a beverage or other food in the course of food preparationor at the time of consumption. Compositions comprising D-psicose anderythritol in accordance with this disclosure may be referred to belowin some cases as D-psicose/erythritol compositions.

In certain exemplary embodiments, a sweetener is combined with theD-psicose and erythritol, optionally also with one or more other edibleingredients in the composition. As further discussed below, suitablesweeteners include, for example, potent sweeteners and/or nutritivesweeteners, e.g., a sweetening amount of one or more rebaudiosides. Incertain embodiments of the D-psicose/erythritol compositions disclosedhere that are suitable for use as a sweetener or taste modifier to beadded to beverages or other foods by the consumer, the at least oneother edible ingredient referred to above may be, for example, a bulkingagent.

In accordance with another aspect, comestibles are disclosed comprising,in combination, D-psicose and erythritol together with at least oneother food ingredient. As used here, the term “food ingredient” meansany edible substance suitable to provide flavor, nutrition, color, bulk,texture or other mouthfeel, stability, acidity, thickening, anti-cakingor the like, or a combination of any two or more of these. It should beunderstood that reference here to incorporating D-psicose and erythritoltogether in a beverage or other food does not require that the twoingredients be added simultaneously or as a pre-mixed combination,although in certain embodiments they may be mixed together prior tobeing added to other ingredients. In certain embodiments of the improvedbeverages and other foods disclosed here, D-psicose and erythritol eachis present in a sweetening amount, that is, D-psicose and erythritoleach is present in a concentration sufficient independently of the otherto perceptibly sweeten the composition.

In certain embodiments at least one food ingredient in the comestibleprovides digestible nutrition. Exemplary food ingredients suitable foruse in at least certain of the novel comestibles disclose here (eitheras the nutritional ingredient or in addition to that ingredient in theformulation) include grain components, carbonated or non-carbonatedwater, sweeteners, e.g., a sweetening amount of at least one nutritionalsweetener and/or a sweetening amount of a potent (i.e., non-nutritional)sweetener, flavorants, acidulants, colorants, bulking agents, etc. Incertain exemplary embodiments, the comestibles disclosed here arepackaged in a single serving size, that is, a portion size suitable tobe consumed at one time by a single consumer. Examples of such singleserving size comestibles include snack bars, packets of instant or quickcooking oatmeal or other grain product, etc. D-psicose and erythritolare non-potent sweeteners and in at least certain embodiments of thecomestibles of the present disclosure, each may be present in asweetening amount. That is, D-psicose and erythritol each may be presentin such embodiments in a concentration sufficient independently of theother to perceptibly sweeten the comestible.

Certain embodiments of the comestibles disclosed here are food products,including, for example, solid foods, gels, beverages, etc. The beveragesinclude, for example, juice beverages (e.g., beverages comprising one ormore fruit juices and/or one or more vegetable juices), hydrationbeverages, carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), frozen beverages, frozencarbonated beverages, diet or other reduced calorie beverages, etc. Itwill be recognized by those skilled in the art that there is overlapbetween these categories. Certain embodiments od the beverages disclosedhere are ready-to-drink (“RTD”) beverages, for example, diet carbonatedsoft drinks (“CSDs”), e.g., diet cola, non-carbonated beverages, e.g.,dairy beverages or hydration beverages having added electrolytes.Certain embodiments of the comestibles disclosed here are concentratesor syrups for producing RTD beverages, e.g., syrups to be diluted withcarbonated water to produce CSDs. Certain embodiments of the comestiblesdisclosed here are gels or grain products, e.g., ready-to-eat sweeteneddry cereals, snack bars, corn chips, etc.

Certain exemplary embodiments of the comestibles disclosed herecomprising D-psicose and erythritol in combination together with atleast one other food ingredient are diet cola CSDs comprising sweetener(additional to the D-psicose and erythritol), e.g., a potent naturalsweetener. In some embodiments, as further discussed below, theadditional sweetener comprises one or more rebaudiosides as sweeteners(i.e. in an amount sufficient to provide perceptible sweetening to thediet cola CSD), e.g., any of the sweet rebaudiosides disclosed in USPatent Application Publication No. 2011/0183056 of Morita et al. (U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/122,232). Suitable rebaudiosides include,for example, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C,rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside M and any combination ofany two or more of them. Certain embodiments of such diet cola CSD'scomprise a sweetening component as the additional sweetener, comprisingrebaudioside M together with one or more other rebaudioside sweetenersand/or other potent and/or nutritive sweeteners. Certain embodiments ofsuch diet cola CSDs comprise a sweetening component (again, meaningadditional to the D-psicose/erythritol composition) comprising orconsisting (or consisting essentially of) rebaudioside A, rebaudioside Dand rebaudioside M as additional sweeteners (i.e., each in an amountsufficient to provide perceptible sweetening to the diet cola CSD).Those skilled in the art will understand from the present disclosurethat alternative or additional sweeteners may optionally be employed inan additional sweetener component for the diet cola CSD's disclosedhere, as well as in other comestibles of the present disclosure.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, given the benefit ofthe forgoing disclosure and the following further description ofD-psicose/erythritol compositions and comestibles comprising aD-psicose/erythritol composition, that at least certain embodiments ofthe invention have improved or alternative formulations suitable toprovide desirable taste profiles, nutritional characteristics, etc.These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention or ofcertain embodiments of the invention will be further understood by thoseskilled in the art from the following description of exemplaryembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

As disclosed above, it has been unexpectedly discovered that D-psicoseand erythritol can be used in combination in food products for improvedtaste profile, optionally together with other sweetener ingredients. Asdiscussed further below, the combination of D-psicose sweetener anderythritol sweetener is found to act synergistically to provideadvantageous organoleptic properties in foods. For example, as furtherdiscussed below, D-psicose/erythritol compositions are found to providea desirable sweetness profile and taste, including good upfrontsweetness and mouthfeel in beverage products. In certain embodimentscomprising erythritol and D-psicose in a beverage or other foodsweetened with rebaudioside M in combination with rebaudioside A as asweetener (alone or with yet other sweeteners, e.g., rebaudioside D),erythritol is found to act as a bitterness masking or reducing agent andD-psicose is found to improve the upfront sweetness of formulation.

The beverage products disclosed here include ready-to-drink liquidformulations, beverage concentrates and the like. As used herein, theterm “ready-to-drink” refers to a beverage formulated to be ingestedas-is. That is, the ready-to-drink beverage requires no dilution oradditions prior to ingestion by a consumer. Ready-to-drink beverageproducts include, e.g., carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks,fountain beverages, carbonated and non-carbonated frozen ready-to-drinkbeverages (e.g., diet frozen carbonated beverages), coffee beverages,tea beverages, dairy beverages, powdered soft drinks, as well as liquidconcentrates, flavored waters, enhanced waters, fruit juice and fruitjuice-flavored drinks, sport drinks, and alcoholic products.

D-psicose/erythritol compositions in accordance with the presentdisclosure, optionally together with one or more additional sweeteners,are found to provide desirable sweetness profile and taste in CSDs, suchas diet cola CSDs. In this regard, as used here, “taste” refers to anyor a combination of some or all of the following: sweetness perception,temporal effects of sweetness perception, i.e., on-set and duration,off-tastes, e.g. bitterness and metallic taste, residual perception(aftertaste) and tactile perception, e.g. body and thickness, etc. Theperception of flavoring agents and sweetening agents may depend to someextent on the interrelation of elements in a particular formulation. Forexample, when a large amount of a flavoring agent is used, a smallamount of a sweetening agent may be readily perceptible and vice versa.Thus, the oral and olfactory interaction between a flavoring agent and asweetening agent may involve the interrelationship of elements. Flavorand sweetness may also be perceived separately. As used here indiscussing and comparing a beverage embodiment of the currentdisclosure, the term “comparable beverage sweetened with sugar” means abeverage that has the same formulation (or the same formulation to theextent reasonably commercially feasible) except for (i.e., other than)having the sugar or other nutritional, low potency sweetener replacedentirely or in part by a D-psicose/erythritol composition in accordancewith the present disclosure.

Various examples and embodiments of the inventive subject matterdisclosed here are possible and will be apparent to persons of ordinaryskill in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure. As used in thisdisclosure, the phrases “certain embodiments,” “certain exemplaryembodiments,” “exemplary embodiments” and similar phrases mean thatthose embodiments are merely non-limiting examples of the inventivesubject matter and that alternative or different embodiments are notbeing excluded. Unless otherwise indicated or unless otherwise clearfrom the context in which it is described, alternative elements orfeatures in the embodiments and examples below and in the Summary aboveare interchangeable with each other. That is, an element described inone example or embodiment may be interchanged or substituted for one ormore corresponding element(s) described in another example. Similarly,optional or non-essential features disclosed in connection with aparticular embodiment or example should be understood to be disclosedfor use in any other embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. Moregenerally, the elements of the examples and exemplary embodiments shouldbe understood to be disclosed generally for use with other aspects,embodiments and examples of the devices and methods disclosed herein. Areference to a component or ingredient being operative, i.e., able toperform one or more functions, tasks and/or operations or the like, isintended to mean that it can perform the expressly recited function(s),task(s) and/or operation(s) in at least certain embodiments, and maywell be operative to perform also one or more other functions, tasksand/or operations. While this disclosure includes specific examples,including presently preferred modes or embodiments, those skilled in theart will appreciate that there are numerous variations and modificationswithin the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in theappended claims. Each word and phrase used in the claims is intended toinclude all its dictionary meanings consistent with its usage in thisdisclosure and/or with its technical and industry usage in any relevanttechnology area. It should be understood that the term “about” is usedthroughout this disclosure and the appended claims to account forordinary inaccuracy and variability, such as in measurement, testing andthe like, in product production, etc.

It should be understood that, where context allows, the term “amount” isused here interchangeably with “concentration.” As used here, theseterms should be understood to mean the amount of the ingredient inquestion as a weight percent of the total formulation, unless otherwisestated. The ingredient is not necessarily dissolved in the formulationbut, rather, may be dispersed or otherwise distributed (homogenously ornot) throughout. As used in this disclosure, unless otherwise specified,the term “added” or “combined” and like terms means that the multipleingredients or components referred to (e.g., oil, emulsifier,preservative, etc.) are combined in any manner and in any order, with orwithout stirring or the like, with or without heating, etc. For example,one or more ingredients can be dissolved into one or more otheringredients, or sprayed together, etc. As used here, a solution may be atrue solution, a slurry, a suspension, or other form of liquid orflowable material. In certain embodiments, for example, materials may besaid to be combined to form a homogenous solution. The term “mixing,” asused herein includes, but is not limited to, beating, blending,stirring, high shear stirring, low shear stirring, whipping, folding in,sonicating, sifting, pureeing, and the like.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that in certaincases, for convenience, some ingredients are referred to or describedhere (and “here” should be understood to include the appended claims) byreference to the industry name for the product or to the original formof the ingredient in which it is used in formulating or producing thebeverage or other food product. Such original form of the ingredient maydiffer from the form in which the ingredient is found in the finishedbeverage product. For example, the ingredient may be referred to in theform it is originally added during production of the food product ratherthan by the form it has in the finished food product, such as adissolved or dissociated form or as a reaction product or complex withone or more of the other ingredients in the finished food product (or inan intermediate product in the course of producing the finished foodproduct. Thus, for example, in certain exemplary embodiments of thebeverage products according to this disclosure, sucrose and liquidsucrose would typically be substantially homogenously dissolved anddispersed in the comestible products. Likewise, other ingredientsidentified as a solid, concentrate (e.g., juice concentrate), etc. wouldtypically be homogeneously dispersed throughout the beverage orthroughout the beverage concentrate, rather than remaining in theiroriginal form. As another example, an ingredient described as a salt mayexist in a beverage in dissolved form. Thus, reference to the form of aningredient of a beverage product formulation should not be taken as alimitation on the form of the ingredient in the beverage product, butrather as a convenient means of describing the ingredient as an isolatedcomponent of the product formulation.

D-psicose (CAS No. 23140-52-5) is a monosaccharoid, a C-3 epimer ofD-fructose and, as discussed in the Food and Drug Administration'sAgency Response Letter GRAS Notice No. GRN 000400, D-psicose is GRAS,that is, it is generally recognized as safe for consumption, e.g., up toa beverage concentration of 2.1 wt. %. It may also be referred to asD-allulose, D-ribo-2-hexulose erythrohexulose, or pseudofructose, andhas the formula C₆H₁₂O₆. Its structure is shown below:

D-psicose is an ultralow-energy monosaccharide sugar and is present insmall quantities in agricultural products and commercially preparedcarbohydrate complexes. It is found to have a sweet intensity of 0.6×,that is, it has a sweet intensity 0.6 times (or somewhat more than half)the sweetness of the same weight of sugar in water. D-psicose isbelieved to yield from none to only 0.2 cal/g of metabolic energy in atleast certain embodiments of the comestible's disclosed here, that is,at most only 5.0% the metabolic energy of the equivalent sweeteningamount of sucrose. It is also believed to be effective in at leastcertain embodiments to provide the benefit of inhibiting fructose intakein the human body. It has been isolated from the antibioticpsicofuranine and is manufactured commercially from fructose byenzymatic epimerization. D-psicose is commercially available e.g., fromC.J. Cheildong Inc. (Korea) and from Sigma-Aldrich, Inc. (UnitedStates).

D-psicose and erythritol can be used in the D-psicose/erythritolcompositions disclosed here and, correspondingly, in the comestiblesdisclosed here, in a range of relative amounts. Thus, in certainexemplary embodiments D-psicose and erythritol are present in a weightpercent ratio of from 99:1 to 1:99, for example, in a weight percentratio of from 3:1 to 1:3. In a D-psicose/erythritol composition, forexample, the remainder of the composition consists of the one or moreother edible ingredients, e.g., any bulking agents, preservatives,diluents, additional sweetener component, etc. In certain exemplaryembodiments in accordance with the present disclosure, D-psicose anderythritol are used in a weight ratio of from 99:1 to 1:99, for examplein a weight ratio of 90:10 to 10:90, for example in a weight ratio offrom 75:25 to 25:75, such as from 60:40 to 40:60, e.g., in equal amountsby weight in the composition. It should be understood that the weightpercent of D-psicose or erythritol in a D-psicose/erythritol compositionor in a comestible composition according to the present disclosure isdetermined by dividing its amount by weight in the composition by theentire weight of the composition and converting the resulting value to apercentage value. Thus, for example, the weight percent of D-psicose orerythritol in a comestible is determined by dividing its amount byweight in the comestible by the weight of the entire comestibleformulation and converting the resulting value to a percentage value. Asdisclosed above, while D-psicose and erythritol each may be present inan amount sufficient to provide sweetening to the comestibles disclosedhere, it is significant that the D-psicose/erythritol compositionprovides improved upfront sweetness and reduction of lingering bitterotherwise caused by some potent sweeteners used in food formulations,e.g., rebaudioside A, with resultant synergistic improvement in thetaste profile of the beverage or other food product.

D-psicose and erythritol can be used in the comestibles disclosed herein a range of concentrations suitable to the desired taste and sweetnesslevel and the other ingredients included in the formulation. In certainexemplary embodiments of the comestibles D-psicose is present in anamount or concentration of from 0.1 wt. % to 6.0 wt. %, e.g., in anamount of from 0.5 wt. % to 2.1 wt. %, and erythritol is present in anamount of from 0.1 wt. % to 5.0 wt. %, e.g., in an amount of from 0.5wt. % to 3.5 wt. %. The combined weight percent of D-psicose anderythritol in the D-psicose/erythritol compositions disclosed here isless than 15.0 wt. %, e.g., less than 5.7 wt. %. The remainder of thesweetened comestible consists of the one or more other food ingredientsincluded in the formulation of the comestible. Where the comestible is abeverage, the other ingredient(s) may, for example, be any oneingredient or combination of two or more ingredients such as water,additional sweetener component, flavorants, additional sweetenercomponent, colorants, acidulants, preservatives, vitamins, minerals,electrolytes, digestible or non-digestible dietary fiber,micro-encapsulated nutrients, clouding agents, CO₂ (carbonation),buffering salts, etc. In embodiments wherein the comestible is a solidfood, for example a grain-based product such as ready-to-eat snack bars,cereal, salty chips, etc., the other ingredient(s) may, for example, beany one or more types of grain or grain components, additional sweetenercomponent, flavorants, additional sweetener component, colorants,preservatives, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, digestible ornon-digestible dietary fiber, micro-encapsulated nutrients, peanutbutter, cheese, other dairy components, etc.

Certain embodiments of the D-psicose/erythritol compositions,formulations and products disclosed here further comprise an additionalsweetener component. As used herein, the term “additional sweetenercomponent” means a component comprising or consisting of (or consistingessentially of) one or a combination of two or more additionalsweeteners. A “sweetener” is a component or ingredient that addsperceptible sweetness to the composition or formulation or product inquestion. The additional sweetener may have any form suitable to thecomposition or formulation question. Ingredients suitable for use as anadditional sweetener component or as part of an additional sweetenercomponent include, for example, nutritive and non-nutritive, natural andartificial or synthetic sweeteners. The additional sweetener orcombination of additional sweeteners may be selected for the desirednutritional characteristics, taste profile for the beverage, mouthfeeland other organoleptic factors. Non-nutritive or potent sweetenerssuitable for at least certain exemplary embodiments include, but are notlimited to, for example, peptide based sweeteners, e.g., aspartame,neotame and alitame, and non-peptide based sweeteners, for example,sodium saccharin, calcium saccharin, acesulfame potassium, sodiumcyclamate, calcium cyclamate, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, sucralose,sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, glycyrrhizin, D-tagatose, maltitol,maltose, lactose, fructo-oligosaccharides, Lo Han Guo (e.g., mogrosides,Lo Han Guo powder or Lo Han Guo juice concentrate), xylose, arabinose,isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, trehalose, and ribose, and proteinsweeteners such as monatin, thaumatin, monellin, brazzein, L-alanine andglycine, and steviol glycoside sweeteners, e.g., the rebaudiosidesidentified in the above cited US Patent Application Publication No.2011/0183056 of Morita et al., such as rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B,rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E and rebaudioside M, andmixtures of any two or more of any of these additional sweeteners. In atleast certain exemplary embodiments the additional sweetener componentcan include nutritive, natural crystalline or liquid sweeteners such assucrose, liquid sucrose, fructose, liquid fructose, glucose, liquidglucose, glucose-fructose syrup from natural sources such as apple,chicory, honey, etc., e.g., high fructose corn syrup, invert sugar,maple syrup, maple sugar, honey, brown sugar, molasses, e.g., canemolasses, such as first molasses, second molasses, blackstrap molasses,and sugar beet molasses, sorghum syrup, Lo Han Guo juice concentrate,mogrosides and/or others. Such sweeteners are present in certainnon-diet embodiments of the comestibles disclosed here in an amount offrom about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the comestible, for example,about 6% to about 16% by weight of the beverage, depending upon thedesired level of sweetness. To achieve desired uniformity, texture andtaste, in certain exemplary embodiments of the natural beverage productsdisclosed here, standardized liquid sugars as are commonly employed inthe food industry can be used. Typically such standardized sweetenersare free of traces of non-sugar solids which could adversely affect theflavor, color or consistency of the beverage product.

For instance, in certain embodiments the sweetening ingredients of thesweetening component (i.e., sweeteners other than D-psicose anderythritose) in the beverage product (e.g., a cola beverage product)consist of both rebaudioside M and one or more other high intensitysweeteners, such as rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C,rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, monatin, thaumatin, monellin, brazzein,L-alanine, glycine, Lo Han Guo or mogrosides (e.g., Lo Han Guo juiceconcentrate), hernandulcin, phyllodulcin, trilobatin, or a combinationsof any two or more of them. In such embodiments, the sweeteningingredients may consist of from 20% by weight to 99.9% by weightrebaudioside M and from 0.1% by weight to 80% by weight (cumulativetotal) of the other high intensity sweeteners. In other embodiments, thesweetening ingredients may consist of from 50% by weight to 99.9% byweight rebaudioside M and from 0.1% by weight to 50% by weight of theother high intensity sweeteners, or from 80% by weight to 99.9% byweight rebaudioside M and from 0.1% by weight to 20% by weight of otherhigh intensity sweeteners. Moreover, the ratio of rebaudioside M toother high intensity sweeteners may in certain embodiments comprise anyblend from 1:5 and 99:1 rebaudioside M to the cumulative total of theother high intensity sweeteners. In certain exemplary embodiments of theready-to-drink beverages disclosed here, including for example aready-to-drink diet cola beverage, the beverage product comprises atleast about 50 ppm rebaudioside M. Certain exemplary embodiments of theready-to-drink beverages disclosed here comprise from about 50 ppm toabout 600 ppm rebaudioside M, e.g., about 100 ppm, about 200 ppm, about300 ppm, about 400 ppm, about 500 ppm. Correspondingly higherconcentrations of rebaudioside M are used in beverage concentrates orsyrups, e.g., from about 100 ppm to 500 ppm or to the solubility limitof Rebaudioside M in the formulation.

It should be understood that description or reference here and elsewherein this disclosure to a composition or product being sweetened withspecific additional sweetener(s), e.g., with one or more rebaudiosidesas additional sweetener along with the D-psicose and erythritol, is notmeant to indicate that the composition or product necessarily does notcontain one or more other ingredients with sweetening properties. Forexample, a non-sweetening amount of one or more others of the compoundstypically found in stevia extracts, e.g., other steviol glycosides,dulcosides, etc. may be present unless stated otherwise. Likewise, theremay be a sweetening amount of one or more other sweeteners unless theadditional sweetening component is said to consist of (or to consistessentially of) one or more particular named sweetener compounds oringredients, in which case it would not have a sweetening amount ofother sweeteners. The optional additional sweetener component may beused in the D-psicose/erythritols, formulations and products disclosedhere in any suitable concentration, depending on the desired degree ofadded sweetening, the characteristics of the particular composition,formulation or product, and other desired organoleptic effects. Forexample, in a ready-to-drink (“RTD”) beverage additional potentsweetener component may be used, for example, in an amount of from about0.01 wt. % to 0.1 wt. % of the beverage. In a syrup for dilution toproduce an RTD beverage, the concentration would be correspondinglyhigher. For example, in a syrup suitable for dilution with water in a1-plus-5 throw (or 1×5 throw), the concentration of the additionalsweetener (and other ingredients of the syrup) is six times greater thanthe concentration in the finished beverage. In certain embodiments ofdiet cola ready-to-drink carbonated soft drinks disclosed here, theoptional additional sweetener component is a potent natural sweetenerpresent in an amount of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 0.08 wt. % of thebeverage, such as from about 0.03 wt. % to about 0.06 wt. %, dependinglargely on the sweetening potency of the additional sweetener, and thedesired level of added sweetening. Syrup products for such diet colaready-to-drink carbonated soft drinks have a correspondingly higherconcentration of the additional sweetener component.

Certain embodiments of the beverage products and other comestiblesdisclosed here comprising D-psicose and erythritol further comprise anadditional sweetener component comprising or consisting (or consistingessentially of) any one or more of the rebaudiosides shown in PCT patentapplication No. 104002121 filed Dec. 10, 2012 by Su Zhou Jing HongBiotech Co., Ltd. (Wujiang, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic OfChina) and corresponding U.S. provisional patent application No.61/579,016 filed Dec. 22, 2011, the entire contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein. Such rebaudiosides include, forexample, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D,rebaudioside E, rebaudioside M. Such beverage products include, e.g.,organic and/or natural ready-to-drink beverages (i.e., beverage productsmade essentially of only organic and/or only natural ingredients), dietcolas and other carbonated soft drinks, hydration beverages, and otherready-to-drink beverages. Such beverage products also include, beveragesyrups, that is, concentrates to be diluted with carbonated orun-carbonated (i.e., still) water to produce such ready-to-drinkbeverages. Certain embodiments, for example, include rebaudioside M asan additional sweetener (i.e., contain rebaudioside M in a concentrationsufficient to add perceptible sweetness to the beverage product), eitheralone or in combination with one or more other rebaudiosides.Rebaudioside M is a potent sweetener that can be produced by extractionfrom Stevia rebaudiana plant leaves followed by purification to obtaineither pure rebaudioside M or to increase the concentration ofrebaudioside M relative to other components of the extract. It also canbe produced enzymatically or synthetically. A leading text on stevia andsteviol glycoside sweeteners, “Stevia, The genus Stevia”, edited by A.Douglas Kinghorn (2002), does not recognize or mention the existence ofrebaudioside M. The molecular formula of rebaudioside M is C₅₆H₉₀O₃₃ andthe molecular weight is 1291.3. It has CAS No. 1220616-44-3 and itsappearance in a pure form (e.g., 98 wt. percent or more pure) is that ofa white powder. It can be obtained from Jin Tan Natural Product MFR Co.Ltd. (City of Industry, Calif.). It is listed in US Patent ApplicationPublication No. 2011/0183056 of Morita et al. (U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/122,232) where it is said to have the structure:

where moiety R₁ and moiety R₂ each has the structure:

Given the benefit of this disclosure and techniques known in the art, itwill be within the ability of one of skill in the art to purify a Steviarebaudiana extract to selectively isolate one or more of therebaudiosides or other steviol glycoside components of the extract foruse in a comestible embodiment of the present disclosure, including,e.g., rebaudioside M, or to increase the weight percentage of theparticular rebaudioside(s) in the extract for such use. For example,column chromatography may be used to isolate rebaudioside M from theother steviol glycosides in a raw extract. Following chromatographicseparation, rebaudioside M and/or other component(s) optionally may berecrystallized at least once or multiple times to obtain a steviaextract comprising a desired level of purity. In certain embodiments ofthe invention, a purified stevia extract used as the optional additionalsweetening component (alone or with other rebaudiosides and/or othersweetening ingredients) has a purity of 93% or greater rebaudioside M,or at least 94%, or at least 95%, or at least 96%, or at least 97%, orat least 98%, or at least 99% by weight. In certain exemplaryembodiments the rebaudioside M sweetener is obtained by purification ofan extract from a cultivar of stevia having a naturally higher contentof rebaudioside M. Similarly, in certain exemplary embodiments arebaudioside A sweetener is obtained by purification of an extract froma cultivar of stevia having a naturally higher content of rebaudiosideA. Similarly, in certain exemplary embodiments a rebaudioside Dsweetener is obtained by purification of an extract from a cultivar ofstevia having a naturally higher content of rebaudioside D. RebaudiosideD is commercially available, e.g., from PureCircle Ltd.

Processes for the preparation of certain rebaudiosides, including, e.g.,rebaudioside D and also rebaudioside M and others, is shown in Chinesepatent application No. 201110408176.7 filed Dec. 9, 2011 by Su Zhou JingHong Biotech Co., Ltd. (Wujiang, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic OfChina) and corresponding U.S. provisional patent application No.61/579,016 filed Dec. 22, 2011, the entire contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein. In accordance with various alternativeembodiments of the beverages and other food products disclosed here, asweetening amount of any one of the rebaudiosides shown in the aforesaidpatent documents may optionally be used with rebaudioside M, e.g., anycombination of two or more of them with or without other sweeteners.

Rebaudioside M has now been found to have a sweetness intensitysignificantly higher than rebaudioside A in at least certain of thecompositions of the present disclosure comprising D-psicose anderythritol as described above. Rebaudioside M has also been found toprovide comestibles disclosed here, including, e.g. beverages and foodother products comprising D-psicose and erythritol, with a desirablesweet taste profile. Certain embodiments of the comestibles disclosedhere comprising D-psicose and erythritol sweeteners include anadditional sweetener component consisting of (or consisting essentiallyof) rebaudioside M as the only additional sweetener. Certain suchbeverage product embodiments having an additional sweetener componentconsisting of (or consisting essentially of) rebaudioside M, which areready-to-drink beverages for example, have up to 0.06 wt. % (e.g., 0.03wt. % to 0.05 wt. %) rebaudioside M. Syrups for producing such beverageproduct embodiments by dilution with water, e.g., syrup suitable toproduce RTD diet CSDs by dilution with carbonated water in a 1-plus-5throw, have correspondingly higher concentrations of such rebaudiosides.In certain exemplary embodiments, ready-to-drink beverage products(e.g., cola beverage products) are provided comprising water andrebaudioside M as disclosed here, where rebaudioside M is present in thebeverage in an amount (i.e., a concentration) of from 50 ppm to 600 ppm.

For example, certain diet cola beverage product embodiments, e.g.,ready-to-drink diet cola CSDs and syrups for producing such diet colaCSDs, comprising D-psicose and erythritol as described above, furthercomprise an additional sweetener component comprising or consisting of(or consisting essentially of) rebaudioside M or the combination ofrebaudioside M with one or more other rebaudiosides, for example, anyone or more of the sweetening rebaudiosides shown in US PatentApplication Publication No. 2011/0183056 of Morita et al. Certain suchdiet cola beverage product embodiments, for example, further comprise anadditional sweetener component comprising or consisting of (orconsisting essentially of) rebaudioside M with rebaudioside A andrebaudioside D. Such diet cola beverage product embodiments can beformulated to have excellent taste profiles close to that of traditionalcola CSDs that are sweetened with nutritive sweeteners, such as sugar orHFCS. This is advantageous because, despite GRAS approval ofrebaudioside A by the FDA in 2008 and the good commercial availabilityof rebaudioside A and its use in a variety of different commerciallysold beverage types, the beverage industry has failed to develop andmarket a sufficiently good tasting diet carbonated soft drink.Significant problems have faced diet CSDs sweetened with rebaudioside A.While rebaudioside A is potently sweet, it also imparts a bitteraftertaste in CSDs and some other off-tastes, including licorice taste.This exacerbates the bitter taste contributions perceived by manyconsumers in various CSDs from other sources, including the CO₂carbonation and caffeine (if any). In addition, rebaudioside A lacksadequate up-front sweetness for many CSD formulations, such as diet colaCSDs. Diet cola CSD formulations sweetened only with rebaudioside A, forexample, are found to taste overly acidic at first, followed bysweetness and then off-tastes and bitter after-tastes. This lack ofup-front sweetness etc. is detrimental to the taste profile of thebeverage and reduces consumer satisfaction. It has been surprisinglydiscovered, however, that diet CSDs and other beverage products, as wellas D-psicose/erythritol compositions and other food products sweetenedwith rebaudioside M or with rebaudioside M together with sweetening byrebaudioside A and rebaudioside D, along with D-psicose and erythritolsweetening according to this disclosure exhibit a better taste profilethan if sweetened with rebaudioside A alone.

Certain RTD diet cola beverage product embodiments and other RTD dietCSDs, that achieve the beneficial taste profile referred to above, havean additional sweetener component comprising rebaudioside A,rebaudioside D and rebaudioside M, for example, have up to 0.05 wt. %(i.e., 0.0 wt. % to 0.05 wt. %) rebaudioside A and up to 0.05 wt. %rebaudioside D, and up to 0.06 wt. % (e.g., 0.005 wt. %-0.05 wt. %)rebaudioside M. According to certain embodiments, rebaudioside Mprovides at least 10% of the total sweetening of a cola beverageproduct, e.g. a diet cola syrup, a ready-to-drink diet cola beverage,another beverage product, or another food product in accordance with thepresent disclosure. According to certain embodiments, rebaudioside Mprovides at least 20% of the total sweetening, or at least 30% of thetotal sweetening, or at least 40% of the total sweetening, or at leasthalf of the total sweetening, or at least 60% of the total sweetening,or at least 70% of the total sweetening, or at least 80% of the totalsweetening, or at least 90% of the total sweetening. As used herein, theterm “total sweetening of the beverage product” includes the sweetnessof the beverage product contributed by any and all sweeteningingredients. A “sweetening ingredient” as that term is used here, is onethat is itself sweet and which itself contributes sweetness in thebeverage product perceptible to a sensory panel (as described above).Accordingly, as used here, the percent of total sweetening contributedby a particular sweetener ingredient in a particular beverage or otherfood is determined based on the concentration and potency of thatparticular sweetener and the cumulative total corresponding value of allof the sweetening ingredients in the beverage or other food in question,ignoring any synergism that may occur between or among the sweeteners inthe particular beverage or other food and ignoring the effect of anysweetness enhancer with the like that may be included in the particularformulation. Thus, the concentration times the potency of a particularsweetener is the numerator and the cumulative total of that value(concentration times potency) for all of the sweetener ingredients inthe formulation is the denominator. The resulting value, expressed as apercentage, is the percent or percentage of total sweetening provided bythe particular sweetener in question in the particular beverage or otherfood in question.

In certain embodiments of the beverage products and other food productsdisclosed here, rebaudioside M sweetener is used together with acombination of rebaudiosides (optionally referred to as solublerebaudioside D or soluble Reb D) comprising about 70 wt. % rebaudiosideD and 30 wt. % rebaudioside A, perhaps with traces of other steviolglycosides or other compounds. Soluble Reb D is commercially availablefrom Pure Circle Limited. It has been found that rebaudioside M incombination with soluble Reb D in the compositions and food productsdisclosed here comprising a D-psicose/erythritol composition achievescost-effective sweetening with a desirable taste profile. Surprisingly,substantial sweetening is obtained in such embodiments from therebaudioside A component of the combination without incurring theunwanted lingering or bitter aftertaste typically associated with theuse of rebaudioside A sweetener. Certain RTD diet cola beverageembodiments, for example, have a pH between 3.0 and 3.5 may include 0.01wt. %-0.03 wt. % rebaudioside A, and 0.01 wt. %-0.03 wt. % rebaudiosideD, and 0.02 wt. %-0.06 wt. % of rebaudioside M. Syrup for such RTD dietcola beverage embodiments have a correspondingly higher concentration. Asyrup for such RTD diet colas suitable for a 1-plus-5 throw dilutionwith carbonated water, may include concentrations of the sweeteners sixtimes higher than those recited above for the ready-to-drink beverageembodiments. Such diet cola products are found to have a desirable sweettaste profile, including good up-front sweetness and substantially lessbitter aftertaste than the same diet cola formulations equally sweetenedwith Reb A alone. In certain RTD diet cola CSD beverage embodimentshaving the additional sweetener component with rebaudioside A,rebaudioside D and rebaudioside M, D-psicose is present in an amount of0.5 wt. % to 2.1 wt. % of the beverage, erythritol is present in anamount of 0.5 wt. % to 3.5 wt. %, rebaudioside A is present in an amountof 0.01 wt. % to 0.05 wt. %, rebaudioside D is present in an amount of0.01 wt. % to 0.05 wt. %, and rebaudioside M is present in an amount of0.02 wt. % to 0.06 wt. %.

As noted above, certain embodiments of the comestibles disclosed hereare dry foods, such as, e.g., ready-to-eat cereals, snack bars, chipsand other foods containing one or more grain constituents, or are gels,etc. As used herein, the term “grain constituent” is intended to includeany component of a whole grain, e.g., the whole grain kernel, the germ,the bran, the endosperm and any combination thereof. Whole grainstypically refer to the germ, bran and endosperm of a grain, and may bemilled, un-milled, etc. Refined grains typically refer to grain productsin which the bran and most or all of the germ have been removed, leavingprimarily or only the endosperm. A “grain constituent” may be, e.g., anycombination of one or more components of a grain that have been groundinto flour, cut into pieces of a variety of sizes or used whole. As usedherein, the term “ready-to-eat cereal” refers to a grain product thatmay be eaten without the need for further preparation other than theoptional addition of a liquid such as, for example, milk, a milksubstitute, juice, or the like. As used herein, the term “snack”includes grain products that can be consumed from the packaging orcontainer, optionally without further preparation. Snack grain productsinclude, for example, snack bars such as, for example, grain bars,breakfast bars, granola bars (e.g., crunchy and/or soft), nutritionbars, diet bars and the like. The ready-to-eat grain products and/orsnack grain products described herein can be fashioned into a variety ofphysical forms, such as, e.g., puffs, flakes, shreds, clusters, sheetsand any combination thereof.

The beverage products disclosed here include, for example,ready-to-drink liquid formulations, beverage concentrates or syrups, andthe like. As used here, the term “ready-to-drink” refers to a beveragethat can be ingested or consumed as-is. That is, the ready-to-drinkbeverage requires no dilution or additions prior to ingestion by aconsumer. Ready-to-drink beverage products of the invention include,e.g., carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks, fountain beverages,carbonated and non-carbonated frozen ready-to-drink beverages, coffeebeverages, tea beverages, dairy beverages, powdered soft drinks, as wellas liquid concentrates, flavored waters, enhanced waters, fruit juiceand fruit juice-flavored drinks, sport drinks, and alcoholic products.Ready-to-drink diet or low calorie, frozen beverages in accordance withone aspect of this disclosure can be prepared directly or from aconcentrate syrup. Optionally the formulation may include flavoring, asweetener component having one or more sweeteners, preservative and/orother suitable ingredients.

To prepare at least certain diet or low calorie frozen beverageembodiments from a concentrate syrup, previously made syrup can bediluted with water, e.g. in a 1-plus-5 throw, to produce a beveragemixture. The beverage mixture can be poured into the hopper of a frozenbeverage unit (e.g. a Taylor 428 or 430 frozen beverage unit or an UltraI or Ultra II frozen beverage unit) to generate and dispense frozenbeverage. Alternatively, the water and syrup can be combined at thepoint of dispensing. Optionally the frozen beverage can be flavoredafter being dispensed by adding flavored syrup. Frozen carbonatedbeverage embodiments in accordance with one aspect of the presentdisclosure, for example, low calorie embodiments and diet embodiments,can be prepared directly as ready-to-drink beverages or as syrup to beheld in a frozen carbonated beverage machine (optionally referred tohere as an “FCB Dispenser”) configured to hold the syrup at reducedtemperature and to add carbonated water to the syrup and dispenseready-to-drink frozen carbonated beverage at the time of consumption.Suitable FCB Dispensers are known to those skilled in the art andinclude, for example, the Cornelius V3 model and newer versionsavailable from IMI Cornelius, Inc., a subsidiary of IMI plc. Forexample, beverage syrup for frozen carbonated beverages can be preparedby combining the ingredients of a CSD flavor base other ingredients. Forexample, erythritol (e.g., up to 3.5% by weight of finished beverage)and D-Psicose (e.g., up to 2.1% by weight of finished beverage) can beadded to a sweetened or unsweetened CSD base containing water,flavoring, preservative, etc. (e.g., cola CSD base or lemon-lime CSDbase) or other beverage base with stirring to achieve some or completedissolution. Sweetener component, e.g., rebaudioside M (e.g., 100 ppm to600 ppm of finished beverage) with or without other sweeteners, e.g.,soluble Reb D, can be added at any suitable point, e.g., prior to orafter adding the other ingredients mentioned above, with stirring forpartial or complete dissolution. Other ingredients suitable to thedesired characteristics of the finished beverage can be added, such asany of those discussed elsewhere in this disclosure. The syrup can beplaced into a frozen carbonated beverage machine (“FCB Dispenser”)configured to add carbonated water to the syrup before or at the time ofdispensing servings of finished ready-to-drink diet frozen carbonatedbeverage. Ready-to-drink servings of finished frozen carbonated beverageshould have good carbon dioxide overrun, smooth, creamy mouthfeel andgood taste profile. Optionally frozen carbonated beverage syrup can besuccessively run through the FCB Dispenser to achieve consistently highquality ready-to-drink servings of finished frozen carbonated beverage.

A “sweetener,” as noted above (and alternative terms such as “sweeteningingredient”) is one that contributes sweetness to the fully formulatedcomestible product that is perceptible to the sensory test panel. Thus,as used here, a sweetening ingredient, such as a sweetener included inthe optional additional sweetening component included in theformulation, e.g., one or more rebaudiosides, is “present in asweetening amount” if it is present in an amount sufficient tocontribute sweetness perceptible to a sensory test panel. That is, asused here that term (and any alternative similar term, such as“sweetening amount of”) means an amount or concentration that in thecomestible formulation in question causes sweetening perceptible to thesensory test panel. In the case of a concentrate to be diluted forproducing a ready-to-eat comestible, a sweetening amount in theconcentrate is an amount that yields sweetening in the ready-to-eatproduct that is perceptible to the sensory test panel. For example, inthe case of a syrup for producing a ready-to-drink beverage (e.g., bydilution with carbonated water to produce a ready-to-drink carbonatedCSD), a sweetening amount of any ingredient in the syrup is an amount orconcentration in the syrup that yields perceptible sweetening of theready-to-drink beverage. Such panels in the present context shouldcomprise 8 to 12 individuals trained to evaluate sweetness perceptionand measure sweetness at several time points from when a sample isinitially taken into the mouth until 3 minutes after it has beenexpectorated. For accuracy, each assessor may repeat the testing of eachsample, e.g., twice or more times, e.g., from three to about five timesper sample, with rinsing and a rest period (e.g., five minutes) betweeneach repetition and a rest period between each new and previous sample.Results may be determined using statistical analysis for comparing (i)test sample results for each particular formulation with the ingredientin question to (ii) control test samples of the same formulation butwithout the ingredient in question. If some sweetness was detected inthe samples without the ingredient in question, then the perceptiblesweetening may occur as a detected increase in sweetness in the testsample(s) containing the ingredient in question, e.g., at a point intime when it was not detected in the control sample(s). The panel ofassessors may be trained using procedures well known to those ofordinary skill in the art, e.g., using the Spectrum™ DescriptiveAnalysis Method (Meilgaard et al, Sensory Evaluation Techniques, 3rdedition, Chapter 11).

It should be understood that D-psicose/erythritol compositions andbeverages and other food products in accordance with this disclosure mayhave any of numerous different specific formulations or constitutions.The formulation may vary depending upon such factors as the product'sintended market segment, its desired nutritional characteristics, flavorprofile and the like. Certain embodiments of the invention, in additionto comprising D-psicose and erythritol as sweeteners, as describedabove, further comprise one or more other suitable ingredients, forexample, any one or more preservatives, taste modifiers or maskers,flavoring agents, solvents, stabilizers, bulking agents, cloudingagents, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, anti-caking agents,constituents conveniently or unavoidably included in an extract used inthe formulation (e.g., an extract used as a flavorant, sweetener, suchas a Stevia extract, etc. in the formulation) or a combination of any ofthese and/or other ingredients suitable for consumption. The bulkingagent may be, e.g., maltodextrin, polydextrose, a dextrin, inulin, anoligosaccharide, beta-glucan, a resistant starch, a hydrocolloid and acorn syrup solid. The hydrocolloid may be: for example, gum Arabic,pectin, guar gum, alginate, carrageenan, xanthan gum, cellulose gum or acombination of two or more of any of them. Additional and alternativesuitable ingredients will be recognized by those skilled in the artgiven the benefit of this disclosure. In the case of beverage productembodiments, for example, optionally the beverage product furthercomprises water and any one or more ingredients known for use inbeverages, such as acidulants, fruit juices and/or vegetable juices,pulp, flavorings, colorants, preservative, vitamins, minerals,electrolytes, D-tagatose, glycerine, and carbon dioxide. According tocertain exemplary embodiments, the beverage product is a ready-to-drinkbeverage, such as a diet beverage product or reduced calorie beverageproduct, for example a ready-to-drink beverage packaged in a singleserving container. According to certain other exemplary embodiments, thebeverage product is a beverage concentrate, that is, a syrup to bediluted to form a ready-to-drink beverage.

The terms “beverage concentrate,” “throw beverage syrup” and “syrup” areused interchangeably throughout this disclosure. At least certainembodiments of the beverage concentrates disclosed here are preparedwith an initial volume of water to which the additional ingredients areadded. A single strength beverage composition (i.e., a beveragecomposition at a concentration that is ready-to-drink) may be formedfrom the beverage concentrate or syrup by adding further volumes ofwater to the concentrate to dilute it to a single strength. Typically,for example, single strength beverages, including for example diet colabeverage products, may be prepared from the concentrates by combiningapproximately 1 part concentrate with 3 to 7 parts water or more. Forexample, some so called super fountain syrup embodiments in accordancewith the present disclosure may be formulated to be diluted with as muchas 32 parts carbonated water. In certain exemplary embodiments a singlestrength beverage is prepared by combining 1 part concentrate with 5parts water. In certain other embodiments, a single strength beverage isdirectly prepared without the formation of a concentrate and subsequentdilution.

Certain embodiments of the comestibles disclosed here are natural inthat they do not contain anything artificial or synthetic, including, insome cases, no color additives regardless of source. As used herein, forexample, a “natural” beverage composition is defined in accordance withthe following guidelines: Raw materials for a natural ingredient existsor originates in nature. Biological synthesis involving fermentation andenzymes can be employed, but synthesis with chemical reagents is notutilized. Artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors are notconsidered natural ingredients. Ingredients may be processed or purifiedthrough certain specified techniques including at least: physicalprocesses, fermentation, and enzymolysis. Appropriate processes andpurification techniques include at least: absorption, adsorption,agglomeration, centrifugation, chopping, cooking (baking, frying,boiling, roasting), cooling, cutting, chromatography, coating,crystallization, digestion, drying (spray, freeze drying, vacuum),evaporation, distillation, electrophoresis, emulsification,encapsulation, extraction, extrusion, filtration, fermentation,grinding, infusion, maceration, microbiological (rennet, enzymes),mixing, peeling, percolation, refrigeration/freezing, squeezing,steeping, washing, heating, mixing, ion exchange, lyophilization,osmose, precipitation, salting out, sublimation, ultrasonic treatment,concentration, flocculation, homogenization, reconstitution, andenzymolysis (using enzymes found in nature). Processing aids (currentlydefined as substances used as manufacturing aids to enhance the appealor utility of a food component), including clarifying agents, catalysts,flocculants, filter aids, and crystallization inhibitors, etc.) areconsidered incidental additives and may be used in the preparation of anatural beverage or other natural comestible if removed appropriately.See 21 CFR § 170.3(o)(24). Substantially clear embodiments of thebeverage products disclosed here are substantially clear in that thebeverages have substantially no turbidity and substantially no color.

Water is a basic ingredient in the products disclosed here, includingfor example cola beverage products, typically being the vehicle orprimary liquid portion in which the Rebaudio side M is provided and theremaining ingredients in the beverage products are dissolved,emulsified, suspended or dispersed. Purified water can be used in themanufacture of certain embodiments of the beverage products disclosedhere, and water of a standard beverage quality can be employed in ordernot to adversely affect beverage taste, odor, or appearance. The watertypically will be clear, colorless, free from objectionable minerals,tastes and odors, free from organic matter, low in alkalinity and ofacceptable microbiological quality based on industry and governmentstandards applicable at the time of producing the beverage. In certaintypical embodiments of beverage products, water is present at a level offrom about 80% to about 99.9% by weight of the beverage. In at leastcertain exemplary embodiments the water used in beverages andconcentrates disclosed here is “treated water,” which refers to waterthat has been treated to reduce the total dissolved solids of the waterprior to optional supplementation, e.g., with calcium as disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 7,052,725. Methods of producing treated water are known tothose of ordinary skill in the art and include deionization,distillation, filtration and reverse osmosis (“r-o”), among others. Theterms “treated water,” “purified water,” “demineralized water,”“distilled water,” and “r-o water” are understood to be generallysynonymous in this discussion, referring to water from whichsubstantially all mineral content has been removed, typically containingno more than about 500 ppm total dissolved solids, e.g. 250 ppm totaldissolved solids.

As used herein, a “full-calorie” beverage formulation is one fullysweetened with a nutritive sweetener. The term “nutritive sweetener”refers generally to sweeteners which provide significant caloric contentin typical usage amounts, e.g., more than about 5 calories per 8 oz.serving of beverage. As used herein, a “potent sweetener” means asweetener which is at least twice as sweet as sugar, that is, asweetener which on a weight basis requires no more than half the weightof sugar to achieve an equivalent sweetness. For example, a potentsweetener may require less than one-half the weight of sugar to achievean equivalent sweetness in a beverage sweetened to a level of 10 degreesBrix with sugar. For natural beverage products and other naturalcomestibles disclosed here, only natural potent sweeteners are employed.It should also be recognized that in certain formulations certainsweeteners will act as tastents, masking agents or the like, e.g., whenused in amounts below its sweetness perception threshold in theformulation in question. As used herein, a “non-nutritive sweetener” isone which does not provide significant caloric content in typical usageamounts, i.e., is one which imparts fewer than 5 calories per 8 oz.serving of beverage to achieve the sweetness equivalent of 10 Brix ofsugar. As used herein, “reduced calorie beverage” means a beveragehaving at least a 25% reduction in calories per 8 oz. serving ofbeverage as compared to the full calorie version, typically a previouslycommercialized full-calorie version. In at least certain embodiments, areduced calorie beverage has about a 50% reduction in calories per 8 oz.serving as compared to the full calorie version. As used herein, a“low-calorie beverage” has fewer than 40 calories per 8 oz. serving ofbeverage. As used herein, “zero-calorie” or “diet” means having lessthan 5 calories per serving, e.g., per 8 oz. for beverages.

An acidulant comprising at least one edible acid is used in certainembodiments of the comestibles disclosed here. For example, in certainbeverage products disclosed here, e.g., cola beverages, and acidulantmay serve any one or more of several functions, such as lending tartnessto the taste of the beverage, enhancing palatability, increasing thirstquenching effect, modifying sweetness and acting as a preservative. Asused herein, the term “low pH” refers to an acidic pH below pH 6, suchas in the range of about 1 to about 6. Certain exemplary embodiments ofthe beverages disclosed here (e.g., ready-to-drink diet cola beverageproducts) have a pH in the range of about 2.0 to 5.0, or in the range ofabout 2.5 to 4.0, or in the range of about 2.8 to 3.3 or in the range ofabout 3.0 to 3.2. The pH of at least certain exemplary embodiments ofthe beverages disclosed here may have a value within the range of fromabout 2.0 to 5.0, about 2.5 to 4.0, about 2.8 to 3.3 or about 3.0 to3.2, e.g., 3.1. The acid in certain exemplary embodiments enhancesbeverage flavor. Too much acid may impair the beverage flavor and resultin tartness or other off-taste, while too little acid may make thebeverage taste flat. As used herein, the term “high pH” refers to abasic pH in the range of about 8 to about 14. As used herein, the term“neutral pH” refers to a pH of about 7 (e.g., from about 6.0 to 8.0, orin the range of about 6.5 to about 7.5). Certain exemplary embodimentsof the beverages disclosed here have a high pH, e.g., a pH in the rangeof about pH 8 to 14. Certain exemplary embodiments of the beverageproducts disclosed here have a neutral pH, e.g., a pH in the range ofabout pH 6 to pH 8, or in the range of about pH 6.5 to 7.5.

The particular acid or acids chosen and the amount used will depend, inpart, on the other ingredients, the desired shelf life of theformulation, as well as desired effects on pH, titratable acidity, andtaste. In the case of certain beverage product embodiments in accordancewith the present disclosure, for example, the one or more acids of theacidulant may be used in an amount, collectively, of from about 0.01% toabout 1.0% by weight of the beverage, e.g., from about 0.01% to about0.5% by weight, from about 0.05% to about 0.5% by weight, from about0.05% to about 0.25% by weight, from about 0.1% to about 0.25% byweight, depending upon the acidulant used, desired pH, other ingredientsused, etc., of the beverage product (e.g., a cola beverage product).Suitable acids are known and will be apparent to those skilled in theart given the benefit of this disclosure. Exemplary acids suitable foruse in some or all embodiments of the beverage products disclosed hereinclude phosphoric acid, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, lacticacid, fumaric acid, ascorbic acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, maleicacid, adipic acid, cinnamic acid, glutaric acid, and mixtures of any ofthem. Typically, the acid is phosphoric acid, citric acid, malic acid,or combinations of any of them, such as, e.g., phosphoric acid andcitric acid. In embodiments comprising natural beverage products (e.g.,natural cola beverage products), the acid can be selected, e.g., fromthe group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, formicacid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, succinicacid, maleic acid, cinnamic acid, glutaric acid, and mixtures of any ofthem. For instance, in certain embodiments the acid comprises orconsists essentially of lactic acid, tartaric acid and citric acid, andin certain embodiments the acid comprises or consists essentially oflactic acid and at least one of tartaric and citric acids.

Titratable acidity is an indication of the total acidity of a beverageproduct. Titratable acidity measures the amount of alkali required toneutralize the acid of a given volume of beverage. The titratableacidity can be measured as the milliliters of 0.1 N NaOH required totitrate 100 ml of beverage to a pH 8.75 end point with a potentiometer.The titratable acidity of certain embodiments of beverage productsdisclosed here (e.g., diet cola beverage products) is typically about8.75 to about 12.5, or from about 9 to about 11. Suitable titratableacidities include, e.g., about 9, 9.25, 9.5, 9.75, 10, 10.25, or 10.9.

Those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure, willrecognize that the pH/stability of beverage products, such as, e.g.,ready-to-drink diet cola beverage product embodiments of the presentdisclosure, comprising D-psicose and erythritol as described above andfurther containing an additional sweetening component includingpeptide-based artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, follows a bellcurve, with pH about 4.2 generally providing the best stability forretaining the sweetening effect of the artificial sweetener. In theformation of calcium-supplemented beverage embodiments in accordancewith the present disclosure, the presence of calcium salt(s) may requireadditional acids to both assist the dissolution of the salt and maintaina desirable pH for stability of an artificial sweetener. The presence ofthe additional acid in the beverage composition, which increases thetitratable acidity of the composition, will result in a more tart orsour taste. It will be within the ability of those skilled in the art,given the benefit of this disclosure, to select a suitable acid orcombination of acids and the amounts of such acids for the acidulantcomponent of any particular embodiment of the beverage productsdisclosed here.

Certain exemplary embodiments of the comestibles disclosed here,including, for example, cola beverage products, also may contain smallamounts of alkaline agents, e.g., to adjust pH or for other purposes.Such agents include, e.g., potassium citrate and sodium citrate. Forexample, the alkaline agent potassium hydroxide may be used in an amountof from about 0.005 wt. % to about 0.02 wt. % (by weight of thebeverage), with an amount of about 0.01% being typical for certainbeverages. The amount will depend, of course, on the type of alkalineagents and on the degree to which the pH is to be adjusted.

The comestibles disclosed here optionally contain a flavor component orflavorant, which may be a single flavor ingredient or a multi-ingredientflavor composition. For example, in certain embodiments, the flavorcomponent may comprise, or consist of (or consist essentially of) one ora combination of two or more natural and/or synthetic fruit flavors,botanical flavors, spice flavors, other flavors, and mixtures of any ofthem. The flavor component may further comprise a blend of several ofthe above-mentioned flavors. The particular amount of the flavorcomponent useful for imparting flavor characteristics to the beverageproducts of the present invention will depend upon the flavor(s)selected, the flavor impression desired, and the form of the flavorcomponent. Those skilled in the art, given the benefit of thisdisclosure, will be readily able to determine the amount of anyparticular flavor component(s) used to achieve the desired flavorimpression.

As used here, the term “fruit flavor” refers generally to those flavorsderived from the edible reproductive part of a seed plant. Included areboth those wherein a sweet pulp is associated with the seed, e.g.,banana, tomato, cranberry and the like, and those having a small, fleshyberry. Exemplary fruit flavors include the citrus flavors, e.g., orange,lemon, lime grapefruit, tangerine, mandarin orange, tangelo, and pomelo,and such flavors as apple, grape, cherry, and pineapple flavors and thelike, and mixtures thereof. The term berry also is used here to includeaggregate fruits, i.e., not “true” berries, but fruit commonly acceptedas such. Also included within the term “fruit flavor” are syntheticallyprepared flavors made to simulate fruit flavors derived from naturalsources. Examples of suitable fruit or berry sources include wholeberries or portions thereof, berry juice, berry juice concentrates,berry purees and blends thereof, dried berry powders, dried berry juicepowders, and the like. In certain exemplary embodiments the comestible,e.g. beverage concentrate or other beverage product, comprises a fruitflavor component, e.g., a juice concentrate or juice. Juices suitablefor use in at least certain exemplary embodiments of the comestiblesdisclosed here, including, e.g., beverage products, including forexample diet cola beverage products, include, e.g., fruit, vegetable andberry juices. Juices may be employed in the present invention in theform of a concentrate, puree, single-strength juice, or other suitableforms. The term “juice” as used here includes single-strength fruit,berry, or vegetable juice, as well as concentrates, purees, milks, andother forms. Certain such juices which are lighter in color may beincluded in the formulation of certain exemplary embodiments to adjustthe flavor and/or increase the juice content of the beverage withoutdarkening the beverage color. Examples of such juices include apple,pear, pineapple, peach, lemon, lime, orange, apricot, grapefruit,tangerine, rhubarb, cassis, quince, passion fruit, papaya, mango, guava,litchi, kiwi, mandarin, coconut, and banana. Deflavored and decoloredjuices may be employed if desired. Multiple different fruit, vegetableand/or berry juices may be combined, optionally along with otherflavorings, to generate a beverage having the desired flavor. Examplesof suitable juice sources include plum, prune, date, currant, fig,grape, raisin, cranberry, pineapple, peach, banana, apple, pear, guava,apricot, Saskatoon berry, blueberry, plains berry, prairie berry,mulberry, elderberry, Barbados cherry (acerola cherry), choke cherry,date, coconut, olive, raspberry, strawberry, huckleberry, loganberry,currant, dewberry, boysenberry, kiwi, cherry, blackberry, quince,buckthorn, passion fruit, sloe, rowan, gooseberry, cashew apple,pomegranate, persimmon, mango, rhubarb, papaya, litchi, lemon, orange,lime, tangerine, mandarin and grapefruit etc. Numerous additional andalternative juices suitable for use in at least certain exemplaryembodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art given thebenefit of this disclosure. In the beverages of the present inventionemploying juice, juice may be used, for example, at a level of at leastabout 0.2% by weight of the beverage. In certain exemplary embodimentsjuice is employed at a level of from about 0.2% to about 40% by weightof the beverage. Typically, juice may be used, if at all, in an amountof from about 1% to about 20% by weight.

As used here, the term “botanical flavor” refers to flavors derived fromparts of a plant other than the fruit. As such, botanical flavors mayinclude those flavors derived from essential oils and extracts of nuts,bark, roots and leaves. Also included within the term “botanical flavor”are synthetically prepared flavors made to simulate botanical flavorsderived from natural sources. Examples of such flavors include colaflavors, tea flavors, and the like, and mixtures thereof.

Other flavorings suitable for use in at least certain exemplaryembodiments of the beverage products disclosed here include, e.g., spiceflavorings, such as cassia, clove, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, vanillaspice flavorings, cardamom, coriander, root beer, sassafras, ginseng,and others. Numerous additional and alternative flavorings suitable foruse in at least certain exemplary embodiments will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure. Flavorings maybe in the form of an extract, oleoresin, juice concentrate, bottler'sbase, or other forms known in the art. In at least certain exemplaryembodiments, such spice or other flavors complement that of a juice orjuice combination.

In certain embodiments of the comestibles disclosed here, one or morecomponents of a flavor composition included in the formulation may beused in the form of an emulsion. A flavoring emulsion may be prepared bymixing some or all of the flavorings together, optionally together withother ingredients of the beverage, and an emulsifying agent. Theemulsifying agent may be added with or after the flavorings mixedtogether. In certain exemplary embodiments the emulsifying agent iswater-soluble. Exemplary suitable emulsifying agents include gum acacia,modified starch, carboxymethylcellulose, gum tragacanth, gum ghatti andother suitable gums. Additional suitable emulsifying agents will beapparent to those skilled in the art of beverage formulations, given thebenefit of this disclosure. The emulsifier in exemplary embodimentscomprises greater than about 3% of the mixture of flavorings andemulsifier. In certain exemplary embodiments the emulsifier is fromabout 5% to about 30% of the mixture.

Carbon dioxide is used to provide effervescence to certain exemplaryembodiments of the beverages disclosed here, including, for example,ready-to-drink diet cola beverages. Any of the techniques andcarbonating equipment known in the art for carbonating beverages may beemployed. Carbon dioxide may enhance the beverage taste and appearanceand may aid in safeguarding the beverage purity by inhibiting anddestroying objectionable bacteria. In certain embodiments, for example,the beverage has a CO₂ level up to about 4.0 volumes carbon dioxide.Typical embodiments may have, for example, from about 0.5 to 5.0 volumesof carbon dioxide. As used here and independent claims, one volume ofcarbon dioxide is defined as the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed byany given quantity of liquid, e.g., water at 60° F. (16° C.) and oneatmospheric pressure. A volume of gas occupies the same space as doesthe liquid by which it is dissolved. The carbon dioxide content may beselected by those skilled in the art based on the desired level ofeffervescence and the impact of the carbon dioxide on the taste ormouthfeel of the beverage. The carbonation may be natural or synthetic.

Optionally, caffeine may be added to various embodiments of the beverageproducts, and other comestibles disclosed here, including for examplediet cola beverage products. The amount of caffeine added is determinedby the desired beverage properties, any applicable regulatory provisionsof the country where the beverage is to be marketed, etc. In certainexemplary embodiments caffeine is included at a level of 0.02 percent orless by weight of the beverage. The caffeine must be of purityacceptable for use in foods and beverages. The caffeine may be naturalor synthetic in origin.

The beverage concentrates and other beverage product embodiments of thepresent disclosure, including for example cola beverage products, maycontain additional ingredients compatible with D-psicose and erythritol,including, generally, any of those typically found in comestibleformulations. Examples of such additional ingredients include, but arenot limited to, caramel and other coloring agents or dyes, antifoamingagents, gums, emulsifiers, tea solids, cloud components, and mineral andnon-mineral nutritional supplements. Examples of non-mineral nutritionalsupplement ingredients are known to those of ordinary skill in the artand include, for example, antioxidants and vitamins, including VitaminsA, D, E (tocopherol), C (ascorbic acid), B (thiamine), B₂ (riboflavin),B₆, B₁₂, and K, niacin, folic acid, biotin, and combinations of any ofthem. The optional non-mineral nutritional supplements are typicallypresent in amounts generally accepted under good manufacturingpractices. Exemplary amounts are between about 1% and about 100% RDV (recommended daily value), where such RDV are established. In certainexemplary embodiments the non-mineral nutritional supplementingredient(s) are present in an amount of from about 5% to about 20%RDV, where established.

Preservatives (including single ingredient preservatives and so-calledpreservation systems) may be used in at least certain embodiments of thebeverage products and other comestibles disclosed here. If used, it maybe added to the formulation at any suitable time during production. Asused here, the terms “preservation system” and “preservative” includeany approved for use in food and beverage compositions, including, e.g.,benzoates, e.g., sodium, calcium, and potassium benzoate, sorbates,e.g., sodium, calcium, and potassium sorbate, citrates, e.g., sodiumcitrate and potassium citrate, polyphosphates, e.g., sodiumhexametaphosphate (SHMP), and mixtures thereof, and antioxidants such asascorbic acid, EDTA, BHA, BHT, TBHQ, dehydroacetic acid,dimethyldicarbonate, ethoxyquin, heptylparaben, and combinations of anyof them. Preservatives may be used in amounts not exceeding mandatedmaximum levels under applicable laws and regulations typically about0.05% by weight. The level of preservative used typically is adjustedaccording to the particular formulation, including the planned finalproduct pH and the microbiological spoilage potential of theformulation. It will be within the ability of those skilled in the art,given the benefit of this disclosure, to select a suitable preservativeor combination of preservatives for beverages according to thisdisclosure.

Other methods of preservation suitable for at least certain exemplaryembodiments include, e.g., aseptic packaging and/or heat treatment orthermal processing steps, such as hot filling and tunnel pasteurization.Such steps can be used to reduce yeast, mold and microbial growth in theproduct. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,862 to Braun et al. disclosesthe use of pasteurization in the production of fruit juice beverages aswell as the use of suitable preservatives in carbonated beverages. U.S.Pat. No. 4,925,686 to Kastin discloses a heat-pasteurized freezablefruit juice composition which contains sodium benzoate and potassiumsorbate. In general, heat treatment includes hot fill methods typicallyusing high temperatures for a short time, e.g., about 190° F. for 10seconds, tunnel pasteurization methods typically using lowertemperatures for a longer time, e.g., about 160° F. for 10-15 minutes,and retort methods typically using, e.g., about 250° F. for 3-5 minutesat elevated pressure, i.e., at pressure above 1 atmosphere.

EXAMPLES Example 1

Quantitative descriptive evaluation of samples of ready-to-drink dietcola embodiments of the beverages disclosed here and of comparativecontrol beverage samples were conducted by panels of ten trained tastetest panelists, with two evaluations by each panelist for each beveragesample. Scoring was on a 0 to 15 scale, 15 being the highest or fastest.As further explained below, the tests revealed that the diet colabeverage formulation sweetened with D-psicose and erythritol inaccordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure haddirectionally more sweetness initial flavor, quicker sweetness on-set,more cola and citrus flavors, less sour flavor, and a more “regular”overall taste impression. The taste advantage of the diet cola beverageformulation sweetened with D-psicose and erythritol was statisticallysignificant in the “Blended” flavor attribute. This attribute is definedas the degree to which the flavors in the sample are blended togetherand not individually distinguishable versus being individually prominentor individually distinguishable. The following Table 1 shows theformulation of (i) the syrup for making the ready-to-drink diet colacontrol beverage formulation sweetened with rebaudioside A andrebaudioside D, and (ii) the syrup for making the ready-to-drink dietcola beverage formulation in accordance with the present disclosure,sweetened with D-psicose and erythritol in the amounts shown in additionto rebaudioside A and rebaudioside D. The rebaudioside A andrebaudioside D w ere provided as 3.0 g soluble Reb D (i.e., rebaudiosideD together with rebaudioside A in 7:3 weight ratio), meaning 0.9 grebaudioside A and 2.1 g rebaudioside D. It can be seen that theformulations are identical other than the D-psicose and erythritolsweeteners in the diet cola beverage embodiment in accordance with thepresent disclosure.

TABLE 1 BEVERAGE CONCENTRATE SYRUP FORMULAS Diet Cola Beverage Diet ColaControl with Ingredients Beverage D-Psicose and Erythritol Sodiumbenzoate 2.04 g 2.04 g Phosphoric acid 4.41 g 4.41 g Caffeine 1.27 g1.27 g Citric acid 1.27 g 1.27 g Cola flavor 38.63 g 38.63 gRebaudioside A 0.9 g 0.9 g Rebaudioside D 2.1 g 2.1 g D-Psicose 0 120 gErythritol 0 120 g Treated water q.s. to 1 L q.s. to 1 L

The syrups of Table 1 were diluted with carbonated water in a 1-plus-5throw (i.e., diluted to one-sixth the original concentration) to formthe ready-to-drink diet cola beverage samples with either no D-psicoseand erythritol (the comparative control samples) or 2.0 wt. % D-psicoseand erythritol (the beverage embodiment in accordance with one thepresent disclosure). The beverage samples were tested as described aboveand the sensory results for important taste attributes are shown inTable 2, below. In Table 2 higher values are better for all propertiesother than sour flavor. As indicated by the different letterdesignations in Table 2 for the characteristic “Blended” (i.e., “a” forthe diet cola beverage with D-psicose and erythritol and “b” for thediet cola control beverage), the value for the “Blended” characteristicfor the diet cola beverage with D-psicose and erythritol isstatistically significantly better than that value for the diet colacontrol beverage. Further, while the values for up-front sweetness(i.e., “sweetness initial flavor”) are not shown to be statisticallysignificantly different, they are shown to be directionally better forthe diet cola beverage with D-psicose and erythritol.

TABLE 2 SUMMARY OF SENSORY RESULTS Diet Cola Beverage Diet Cola Controlwith D-Psicose Attribute Beverage and Erythritol sweetness initialflavor 5.66 5.83 speed of onset 6.14 6.54 cola flavor 5.23 5.51 citrusflavor 2.72 2.93 caramel flavor 2.57 2.45 sour flavor 3.65 3.47 Blended3.26 (b) 4.27 (a) Overall impression comparing 2.9  3.45 the Sample dietcola beverage to non-diet cola beverage

Example 2. Part A

The taste quality of rebaudio side M-sweetened formulations of diet colabeverage were improved by the addition of erythritol, D-tagatose,D-psicose or a combination of them. Samples of finished ready-to-drinkcola beverage were prepared for each of six different such formulations.The formulations were ready-to-drink diet cola beverages sweetened by500 ppm of rebaudioside M and were identical except for the low calorie,low potency sweetener ingredient bulking agents shown in Table 3, below.As seen in Table 3, each of the six variants contained erythritol,D-tagatose and/or D-psicose. The samples of each of the six variantswere evaluated by five people familiar with cola beverages and colabeverage taste testing. Specifically, the samples of the six formulationvariants were tasted and compared to each other and to control samplesthat were the same except for having no low calorie, low potencysweetener ingredient bulking agent.

TABLE 3 Control V-1 V-2 V-3 V-4 V-5 V-6 No erythritol +1% +1% +0.5% +1%Erythritol Erythritol erythritol erythritol No D-tagatose +0.75% +0.25%D-tagatose D-tagatose No D-psicose +1% +0.5% +1% D-psicose D-psicoseD-psicose

Example 2. Part B

The results of taste testing the samples of the six variants by fivepeople familiar with taste testing cola beverages, including diet colabeverage taste testing. The taste testing showed that adding D-psicoseand erythritol enhanced the mouthfeel of the samples relative to theother variants. The variants with D-psicose were unexpectedly found tohave improved up-front sweetness. Up-front sweetness is generallylacking in beverages sweetened by steviol glycosides, and thisadditional advantageous effect in variant 3, variant 5 and variant 6 wasan unexpected phenomenon. Variant 5 and variant 6 were judged as thebest among all variants. Variant 6 was perceived as having taste closeto the taste of current commercial diet colas sweetened with aspartameor other artificial sweetener, but with significantly better mouthfeel.

Example 3. Part A

Samples of finished ready-to-drink diet cola beverage were prepared foreach of two formulation variants. The formulations were ready-to-drinkdiet cola beverages sweetened by rebaudioside M. Variant 1 had no lowpotency sweetener ingredients while Variant 2 did had D-psicose anderythritol, as shown in Table 4, below. Samples of both variants wereevaluated by two people familiar with cola beverages and cola beveragetaste testing.

TABLE 4 Ingredients Diet Cola Variant 1 Diet Cola Variant 2 Sodiumbenzoate 2.04 g 2.04 g Phosphoric acid 4.41 g 4.41 g Caffeine 1.27 g1.27 g Citric acid 1.27 g 1.27 g Rebaudioside M 3.6 g 3.3 g D-psicose 030 g Erythritol 0 30 g Treated water q.s. to 1 L q.s. to 1 L

Example 3. Part B

Two people familiar with taste testing cola beverages, including dietcola beverage taste testing, tasted the samples of Variant 1 and Variant2. Each was found to have a good sweetness taste profile and mouthfeel,while Variant 2 had a better sweetness taste profile and mouthfeel thanVariant 1.

Example 4. Part A

Samples of finished ready-to-drink diet cola beverages sweetened byrebaudioside M were prepared for two formulation variants. Each of thetwo variants was sweetened with 1.5 g of rebaudioside M together with2.0 g of soluble Reb D (i.e., rebaudioside D together with rebaudiosideA in 7:3 weight ratio). Variant 1 had no D-psicose or erythritol whileVariant 2 had D-psicose and erythritol as shown in Table 5, below.Samples of both variants were evaluated by two people familiar withtaste testing cola beverages, including diet cola beverage tastetesting.

TABLE 5 Variant 1 Diet Cola Beverage Variant 2 without D-Psicose andDiet Cola Beverage with Ingredients Erythritol D-Psicose and ErythritolSodium benzoate 2.04 g 2.04 g Phosphoric acid 4.41 g 4.41 g Caffeine1.27 g 1.27 g Citric acid 1.27 g 1.27 g Cola flavor 38.63 g 38.63 gRebaudioside A* 0.45 g 0.45 g Rebaudioside D* 1.05 g 1.05 g RebaudiosideM 1.5 g 1.5 g D-Psicose 0 120 g Erythritol 0 120 g Treated water q.s. to1 L q.s. to 1 L *Soluble Reb D

Example 4. Part B

Two people familiar with taste testing cola beverages, including dietcola beverage taste testing, tasted the samples of Variant 1 and Variant2. Each was found to have a good sweetness taste profile and mouthfeel,while Variant 2 had a significantly better sweetness quality andmouthfeel than Variant 1.

Example 5. Part A

Samples of finished ready-to-drink diet cola beverage were prepared foreach of two formulation variants. The formulations were ready-to-drinkdiet cola beverages sweetened by rebaudioside M. Variant 1 had noD-psicose and erythritol while Variant 2 did have D-psicose anderythritol, as shown in Table 6, below. Samples of both variants wereevaluated by two people familiar with taste testing cola beverages,including diet cola beverage taste testing.

TABLE 6 Ingredients Diet Cola Variant 1 Diet Cola Variant 2 Sodiumbenzoate 2.04 g 2.04 g Phosphoric acid 4.41 g 4.41 g Caffeine 1.27 g1.27 g Citric acid 1.27 g 1.27 g Rebaudioside M 2.4 g 2.4 g D-psicose 0120 g Erythritol 0 120 g Treated water q.s. to 1 L q.s. to 1 L

Example 5. Part B

Six people familiar with taste testing cola beverages, including dietcola beverage taste testing, tasted the samples of Variant 1 and Variant2. Each was found to have a good sweetness taste profile and mouthfeel,while Variant 2 had a better sweetness taste profile and mouthfeel thanVariant 1.

Example 6. Part A

Samples of finished ready-to-drink diet cola beverage were prepared foreach of two formulation variants. The formulations were ready-to-drinkdiet cola beverages sweetened by rebaudioside M. Variant 1 had noD-psicose and erythritol; Variant 2 did have D-psicose and erythritol,as shown in Table 7 below. Samples of both variants were evaluated bytwo people familiar with taste testing cola beverages, including dietcola beverage taste testing.

TABLE 7 Diet Cola Beverage Diet Cola Control with D-Psicose andIngredients Beverage Erythritol Sodium benzoate 2.04 g 2.04 g Phosphoricacid 4.41 g 4.41 g Caffeine 1.27 g 1.27 g Citric acid 1.27 g 1.27 g Colaflavor 38.63 g 38.63 g Rebaudioside A 2.4 g 2.4 g D-Psicose 0 126 gErythritol 0 210 g Treated water q.s. to 1 L q.s. to 1 L

Example 6. Part B

Two people familiar with taste testing cola beverages, including dietcola beverage taste testing, tasted the samples of Variant 1 and Variant2. Variant 2 was found to have a better sweetness taste profile andmouthfeel than Variant 1.

Example 7. Part A

Samples of finished ready-to-drink diet cola beverage were prepared foreach of two formulation variants. The formulations were ready-to-drinkdiet cola beverages sweetened by rebaudioside M and soluble Reb D.Variant 1 had no D-psicose and erythritol; Variant 2 did have D-psicoseand erythritol, as shown in Table 8, below. Samples of both variantswere evaluated by two people familiar with taste testing cola beverages,including diet cola beverage taste testing.

TABLE 8 Diet Cola Control Diet Cola Beverage with Ingredients BeverageD-Psicose and Erythritol Sodium benzoate 2.04 g 2.04 g Phosphoric acid4.41 g 4.41 g Caffeine 1.27 g 1.27 g Citric acid 1.27 g 1.27 g Colaflavor 38.63 g 38.63 g Rebaudioside A* 0.45 g 0.45 g Rebaudioside D*1.05 g 1.05 g Rebaudioside M 1.5 g 1.5 g D-Psicose 0 120 g Erythritol 0120 g Treated water q.s. to 1 L q.s. to 1 L

Example 7. Part B

Two people familiar with taste testing cola beverages, including dietcola beverage taste testing, tasted the samples of Variant 1 and Variant2. Variant 2 was found to have a better sweetness taste profile andmouthfeel than Variant 1.

Example 8

A ready-to-drink low calorie, frozen beverage containing D-psicose anderythritol in accordance with one aspect of the invention of the presentdisclosure is prepared from a concentrate syrup shown in Table 9, below.The concentrate syrup of Table 9 is diluted with water in a 1-plus-5throw to produce a beverage mixture. The beverage mixture is then pouredinto the hopper of a frozen beverage unit to generate frozen beveragewhich is dispensed and further flavored by adding flavored syrup.

TABLE 9 Ingredients Amount Sodium benzoate 2.88 g Citric acid anhydrous3.98 g Rebaudioside M 0.5 g D-Psicose 120 g Erythritol 120 g HFCS 570 gTreated water q.s. to 2 L

Example 9

A sweetener composition suitable for use in bulk in food preparation oras a table-top sweetener, comprising D-psicose and erythritol inaccordance with one aspect of the invention of the present disclosure,is prepared with the formulation shown in Table 10, below. The sweetenercomposition of Table 10 is suitable for use as an ingredient in cookingor for addition to water or other liquids or to other food for immediateconsumption. The sweetener composition can be packaged in bulk or inpackets each containing a suggested single serving size. Optionally atrace amount of flavoring (e.g., not more than 0.01 g) or a largerconcentration of flavoring can be added to the formulation shown inTable 10.

TABLE 10 Ingredient Amount Erythritol 1.745 g D-Psicose 1.745 gRebaudioside M 0.0175 g Total weight 3.5075

Example 10

Diet frozen carbonated beverage is prepared in accordance with oneaspect of the invention of the present disclosure. Beverage syrup forthe frozen carbonated beverage is prepared by adding erythritol (3.5% byweight of finished beverage) and D-Psicose (2.1% by weight of finisheddrink) to 1.0 gallon of unsweetened lemon-lime CSD base (e.g., DietMountain Dew® base or other lemon-lime CSD base). The solution isstirred until complete dissolution has occurred. Rebaudioside M (500 ppmof finished beverage) is added, and again the solution is stirred untilcomplete dissolution is achieved. The syrup thus prepared is placed intoa frozen carbonated beverage machine (“FCB Dispenser”) configured to addcarbonated water to the syrup at the time of dispensing ready-to-drinkservings of the finished frozen carbonated beverage. The resultingready-to-drink servings of the finished frozen carbonated beverage havegood carbon dioxide overrun, smooth, creamy mouthfeel and excellenttaste. The syrup is then successively run through the FCB Dispenser toconsistently achieve high quality ready-to-drink servings of finishedfrozen carbonated beverage.

Given the benefit of the above disclosure and description of exemplaryembodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatnumerous alternative and different embodiments are possible in keepingwith the general principles of the invention disclosed here. Thoseskilled in this art will recognize that all such various modificationsand alternative embodiments are within the true scope and spirit of theinvention. The appended claims are intended to cover all suchmodifications and alternative embodiments. It should be understood thatthe use of a singular indefinite or definite article (e.g., “a,” “an,”“the,” etc.) in this disclosure and in the following claims follows thetraditional usage in patents of meaning “at least one” unless in aparticular instance it is clear from context that the term is intendedin that particular instance to mean specifically one and only one.Likewise, in accordance with traditional usage the term “comprising” isused here an open ended, i.e., not excluding additional items, features,components, etc., while the term “consisting of” is closed ended,excluding additional items, features, components, etc. Likewise, also inaccordance with traditional usage, the term “consisting essentially of”limits to the recited material(s) or step(s) but also allows theoptional inclusion of material(s) or step(s) that do not materiallyaffect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention.

1-15. (canceled)
 16. A ready-to-drink diet cola beverage productcomprising: carbonated water, D-psicose in an at least a sweeteningamount, but not more than 2.1 wt. %, erythritol in an at least asweetening amount, but not more than 3.5 wt. %, acidulant comprising atleast one acid, cola flavoring, rebaudioside M in a concentrationbetween about 50 ppm and about 300 ppm, rebaudioside D, and rebaudiosideA, wherein the weight ratio of rebaudioside M to rebaudioside D is about1.5:1.05, and wherein the weight ratio of rebaudioside M to rebaudiosideA is about 1.5:0.45; and further wherein the beverage product has a pHbetween 3.0 and 3.5.
 17. A beverage syrup comprising: about 120,000 ppmD-psicose, about 120,000 ppm erythritol, acidulant; cola flavoring,rebaudioside M in a concentration between 300 ppm and 1800 ppm,rebaudioside D; and rebaudioside A wherein the weight ratio ofrebaudioside M to rebaudioside D is about 1.5:1.05, and wherein theweight ratio of rebaudioside M to rebaudioside A is about 1.5:0.45. 18.A frozen carbonated beverage comprising D-psicose in an at least asweetening amount, but not more than 2.1 wt. %, erythritol in an atleast a sweetening amount, but not more than 3.5 wt. %, rebaudioside Min a concentration between about 50 ppm and about 600 ppm, rebaudiosideD, and rebaudioside A, wherein the weight ratio of rebaudioside M torebaudioside D is about 1.5:1.05, and wherein the weight ratio ofrebaudioside M to rebaudioside A is about 1.5:0.45.
 19. The frozencarbonated beverage of claim 18 further comprising a sweetener componentcomprising a sweetening amount of at least one additional sweetenerselected from the group consisting of rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C,rebaudioside E, sucrose, monatin, thaumatin, monellin, brazzein,L-alanine, glycine, Lo Han Guo, mogrosides, hemandulcin, phyllodulcin,trilobatin, and a combination of any two or more of them.
 20. The frozencarbonated beverage of claim 18 wherein the beverage product has a pHhigher than 3.0 and lower than 3.5.
 21. The frozen carbonated beverageof claim 18 further comprising at least one additional ingredientselected from the group consisting of fruit juice, vegetable juice,pulp, colorants, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, D-tagatose, andglycerine.
 22. The frozen carbonated beverage of claim 18 furthercomprising cola flavoring.
 23. The frozen carbonated beverage product ofclaim 16, wherein the rebaudioside M concentration is about 100 ppm. 24.The beverage product of claim 16, wherein the rebaudioside Mconcentration is about 200 ppm.
 25. The beverage product of claim 16,wherein the rebaudioside M concentration is about 250 ppm.
 26. Thebeverage product of claim 16, wherein the rebaudioside M concentrationis about 300 ppm.
 27. The beverage product of claim 16, wherein therebaudioside M concentration is between about 50 ppm and about 200 ppm.28. The beverage product of claim 16, wherein the rebaudioside Mconcentration is about 50 ppm.
 29. The frozen carbonated beverageproduct of claim 18, wherein the rebaudioside M concentration is about100 ppm.
 30. The frozen carbonated beverage product of claim 18, whereinthe rebaudioside M concentration is about 200 ppm.
 31. The frozencarbonated beverage product of claim 18, wherein the rebaudioside Mconcentration is about 250 ppm.
 32. The frozen carbonated beverageproduct of claim 18, wherein the rebaudioside M concentration is about300 ppm.
 33. The frozen carbonated beverage product of claim 18, whereinthe rebaudioside M concentration is between about 50 ppm and about 200ppm.
 34. The frozen carbonated beverage product of claim 18, wherein therebaudioside M concentration is about 50 ppm.